Ask a Master Gardener

Hummingbirds

3/30/21

I love watching and listening to the hummingbirds in my garden. When should I put my hummingbird feeder out? CC

I agree. I love hummingbirds. My wife and I have a hummingbird feeder right outside the window where we eat our meals. So, we get to see their comings and goings up close through the window. And if the window is open, getting to hear the buzzing that comes from their wings is an extra bonus we enjoy.

Hummingbirds are migratory and it looks like they are headed our way. There is a website called www.hummingbirdcentral.com which tracks the hummingbird migrations on a map. As I look at it today, they appear to still be in Texas, but they are moving our direction.

It’s easy not to think of these small little creatures as birds, even though they have “bird” in their name. But hummingbirds are the very smallest of native birds of North America. These birds average only about 3.5 inches long and tend to weigh about a 1/4 of an ounce. The humming sound we hear comes from their wings which beat about 55 strokes per second.

During courtship, the males like to show off by diving straight down toward either the object of their affection or irritation. During these dives, their wings can beat up to 200 beats per second which makes a much louder sound. Even hummingbird boys feel the need to show off in hopes of impressing the girls it seems.

The species of hummingbird we typically see here in Oklahoma is the Ruby-Throated hummingbird. Here’s some interesting facts about these little birds.

- Their breast muscles make up about 25% of their total body weight as compared to about 5% in humans.

- Their hearts beat about 600 times per minute and up to 1200 times per minute in times of exertion. Humans average about 72 beats per minute.

- At rest they take about 250 breaths per minute as compared to humans at about 12 breaths per minute.

- While they can live up to 14 years, their average life span is about 3 to 4 years.

- They can fly at about 50 miles per hour, even faster if they are flying with the wind.

The Ruby-Throated variety found in Oklahoma travel more than 2000 miles from Mexico and Costa Rica each spring, sometimes flying 500 miles non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico on their journey. As you can imagine, they bulk up a bit for the trip adding about half their body weight in fat to get ready.

Typically, hummingbirds need to feed every 15 minutes during the day. It’s logical to assume that while they hover over your flowers or feeder that they use their tongue like a straw, but they actually drink the nectar via a licking motion at a rate of about 13 licks per second. They will also eat small insects they capture in the air or find while dining on nectar. Eating insects is especially common when they are raising their young.

If you want to attract hummers to your landscape, feeders can help, but rather than having your feeder serve as the prime attraction, consider planting flowers to attract and keep them nearby. Hummingbirds like flowers that are tubular and brightly colored like honeysuckle, trumpet vine, or salvia. If you have enough natural sources of nectar for your hummingbirds, this will lessen the need for a feeder.

It’s also good to remember that artificial nectar does not provide all the nutrients that are found in floral nectar. Natural sources are much better than artificial nectar in providing a balanced diet. So, you may want to consider using your feeder toward the beginning and end of the season when natural sources are harder to find and then packing it away for the bulk of the summer.

If you are going to use a feeder, do not us red food coloring since it can cause health problems in hummingbirds. You can make your own feeding solution using one part granulated sugar to four parts boiling water. Before you put your feeder out, be sure to clean it to help minimize disease and then place it in a shaded area away from any neighborhood cats. As a rule, feeders should be cleaned every two to three days, especially during warm weather.

It’s also a good idea to get several feeders and place them some distance apart because hummingbirds can get very territorial and aggressive around a single food source. In addition, be sure to use a feeder with a bee and wasp guard as this will help minimize competition for nectar between these insects and the hummingbirds. There is no need to be concerned with smaller insects found at the mouth of the feeder as they will typically help fulfill the hummingbird’s need for protein.

It’s also good to provide a source of water for drinking and bathing. Be sure to provide fresh water every couple of days. Good luck.

 You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Diagnostic Center at 918-746-3701, dropping by the Extension office at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: Steve Jaynes